Oakland Township, MI – A head-on collision early Friday morning in Oakland Township left one driver dead and two other people critically injured, according to the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office.
According to the sheriff’s office, the crash occurred at approximately 5:48 a.m. Friday, July 24, 2026, on Rochester Road near Buell Road. Deputies from the Oakland Township Substation and the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Crash Reconstruction Unit responded to investigate.
Preliminary investigators said a 65-year-old Rochester Hills man was driving a 2022 Ford Escape northbound on Rochester Road when, for reasons still under investigation, the SUV crossed the centerline and collided head-on with a 2025 Subaru Outback traveling southbound.
Authorities said the Subaru was driven by a 49-year-old woman from Imlay City, with a 56-year-old woman from Almont riding as a passenger. Both women were transported to Henry Ford Rochester Hospital, where they remain in critical condition. Investigators said it is not yet known whether either occupant was wearing a seat belt.
The driver of the Ford Escape, who authorities said was wearing a seat belt, suffered fatal injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene. His identity is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.
According to investigators, the Oakland County Medical Examiner’s Office has taken custody of the deceased and completed an autopsy. While the official cause of death remains pending, detectives said they do not believe the crash was caused by a medical emergency.
The Oakland County Sheriff’s Office Drone Unit also responded to assist with aerial mapping and documentation of the crash scene.
The investigation remains ongoing.
